The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. P2001-363591 filed Nov. 29, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a network conference system which includes a plurality of terminals that are connected to one another via communication lines, and which transmits and receives information for conducting a conference between the terminals. Further, the invention also relates to a method for using the network conference system.
Conventionally, a television conference system has been known as a communication tool for conducting a conference with persons who are in remote places. A television conference system includes a plurality of terminals that are connected to one another via communication lines, so that audio information including voices of users, monitor video information including monitor images of the users, and the like are transmitted and received between the terminals. A data conference system is known as a similar communication tool. A data conference system also includes a plurality of terminals that are connected to one another via communication lines, so that display information including conference materials to be displayed, drawing (pen input) information including drawing (pen input) by the users, and the like are transmitted and received between the terminals.
Recently, a network conference system has been proposed which has a configuration similar to a combination of a television conference system and a data conference system. In a network conference system, not only audio information including voices of users and monitor video information including monitor images of the users, but also display information including conference materials to be displayed, drawing (pen input) information including drawing (pen input) by the users, and the like are transmitted and received between the terminals.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of such a network conference system. Referring to FIG. 3, the network conference system includes three terminals 40, 50, and 60 which are configured respectively by personal computers or the like, and which are connected to one another via communication lines such as public lines or private lines. The terminal 40 is a promoter terminal which is used by a promoter who promotes the conference (convocator of the conference), the terminal 50 is a participant terminal which is used by one participant (conference participant A) who participates in the conference, and the terminal 60 is a participant terminal which is used by another participant (conference participant B) who participates in the conference.
The promoter terminal 40 includes a network conference section 41, and a hard disc drive (HDD) 42 which stores conference data constituting a data file of conference materials. The network conference section 41 includes: a conference data reading/writing section 43 which reads out the conference data from the hard disc drive 42, and which adds drawing (pen input) information and the like to the conference data and writes the resulting information as proceeding information into the hard disc drive 42; and an information transmitting/receiving section 44 which performs transmission and reception of the conference data, the drawing (pen input) information, and the like with respect to the other terminals. The network conference section 41 is connected to an output device 45 which is configured by a plasma display panel (PDP) or the like, and which displays video information including the conference data, the drawing (pen input) information, and the like in the network conference section 41. The configuration of an audio information system is not shown in the figure.
Similarly, the participant terminal 50 includes a network conference section 51 and a hard disc drive 52. The network conference section 51 includes a conference data reading/writing 53 and an information transmitting/receiving section 54. The network conference section 51 is connected to an output device 55.
Similarly, the participant terminal 60 includes a network conference section 61 and a hard disc drive 62. The network conference section 61 includes a conference data reading/writing 63 and an information transmitting/receiving section 64. The network conference section 61 is connected to an output device 65.
In the thus configured network conference system, an announcement is made in all connection sites, and proceeding information which is configured by adding drawing (pen input) information (so-called handwriting information), and the like to conference data that are used in the announcements is distributed and managed equally in all the connection sites. Specifically, in the promoter terminal 40, an announcement in which the conference data stored in the hard disc drive 42 are used is made, and proceeding information which is configured by adding drawing (pen input) information and the like to the conference data is stored not only into the hard disc drive 42, but also into the hard disc drive 52 of the participant terminal 50, and the hard disc drive 62 of the participant terminal 60. In the participant terminal 50, an announcement in which the conference data stored in the hard disc drive 52 are used is made, and proceeding information which is configured by adding drawing (pen input) information and the like to the conference data is stored not only into the hard disc drive 52, but also into the hard disc drive 42 of the promoter terminal 40, and the hard disc drive 62 of the participant terminal 60. In the participant terminal 60, an announcement in which the conference data stored in the hard disc drive 62 are used is made, and proceeding information which is configured by adding drawing (pen input) information and the like to the conference data is stored not only into the hard disc drive 62, but also into the hard disc drive 42 of the promoter terminal 40, and the hard disc drive 52 of the participant terminal 50.
In such a network conference system, an announcement is made in all the terminals, and hence the role of the promoter as the chairman cannot be thoroughly fulfilled, with the result that the conference inefficiently proceeds. Since proceeding information is distributed and managed equally in all the terminals, originals of the conference materials cannot be centralizedly managed. Therefore, the system involves the risk of discrepancy or interpolation of information.